A man and woman died in an apparent explosion at a Tranquility Court home, confirmed Tom Gilbert, Chief of Detectives of the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office (GCPO) on May 12.
The incident occurred at 2:02 a.m. on May 11, according to the Washington Township Police Department. Police received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting a loud explosion and fire in the area of Tranquility Court and Orion Way.
Responding officers arrived at 13 Tranquility Court and observed that the residence was fully engulfed in flames and appeared to have been heavily damaged by an apparent explosion. The Washington Township Fire Department arrived shortly thereafter to extinguish the fire, police said.
The prosecutor’s office has taken the lead of the criminal investigation into the home explosion; however, Gilbert noted the incident is considered isolated. The explosion of the home, which is in a cul-de-sac, caused damage to homes next to it.
Currently, the county medical examiner’s office is working to identify the man and woman and notify next of kin, Gilbert said.
The investigation is active and ongoing. The Washington Township Police Department’s Detective Bureau, Washington Township Fire Investigators, and the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety (Fire Marshal’s Office) are working jointly with the prosecutor’s office.
Additional updates will be provided by the GCPO as they become available and appropriate to share.
